Atomizing-nozzle



L. B. EDGERTON.

ATOMIZING NOZZLE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I5, 1914.

1,194,8W. v Patented Aug. 15,1916.

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WITNESSES ATTORNEYS LLOYD B. EDGERTON, 0F UPLAND, PENNSYLVANIA.

ATOMIZING-NOZZLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

Application filed December 15, 1914. Serial No. 877,422.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LLOYD B. EnGER'ron, a citizen of the United States, and a res1- dent of Upland, in the county of Delaware and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Atoinizing Nozzles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

A principal object of my invention is to provide a nozzle suitable for atomizing or finely dividing heavy, viscous liquids, such as solutions of sodium silicate or other liquids having substantially similar properties as to viscosity and consistency, in which air or other gases may be employed at relatively high pressure to eifect the comminution of the liquid.

Still further objects of my invention are to provide a nozzle suitable for atomizing thick and viscous liquids which shall be simple in construction, and comprise a rela-' tively small number of parts, not be liable to get out of order or require frequent adjustment during operation, and which may be constructed at a relatively low cost.

Still further objects of my invention are to provide an atomizing nozzle suitable for use with thick, viscous liquids which shall be economical in the use of the compressed air or other gas employed, and which may be constructed to deliver the finely comminuted spray in the form of a narrow cone having sides with a relatively small angle of divergence, so that the atomized liquid will be discharged for a considerable distance from the end of the nozzle without spreading over a relatively wide area.

My invention further includes all of the other various novel features of construction and arrangement hereinafter more definitely specified.

In the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated one embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a central vertical section of the nozzle; Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 3 a similar section taken on the line 33 and also looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. f an enlarged fragmentary vertical section of a portion of the device;' and Fig. 5 an enlarged fragmentary top plan view thereof.

Referring now to that form of my invention which is shown in the drawing, the same may comprise a substantially cylindrical hollow body 1 having at its lower end suitable internal threads 2 for attachment to a pipe (not shown) by which the material to be atomized is conveyed to the chamber 3 in the interior of the body and extending for a considerable portion of its length. Toward the upper end of the body 1, the walls thereof are converged both exteriorly and interiorly, and a longitudinally extending cylindrical passage 5 preferably of a diameter considerably less than the diameter of the chamber 3 formed within the body preferably coaxial therewith and extending from the chamber 3 to a point 6 adjacent the upper end 7 of the body. From the point 6, the walls of the passage are outwardly diverged preferably at an angle of from 45 to 60 from the vertical, so that the upper end of the body above point 6 shall form a mouth 8 for the passage 5 in the form of a hollow truncated inverted cone with sides having an angle of divergence substantially as specified.

Surrounding the main portion of the body 1, substantially midway of its length is an integral outwardly projecting flange 10, the upper and lower faces thereof respectively providing shoulders 11 and 12 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

At one point in the flange is formed a suitable bore or cavity 14 extending normally inward toward the axis of the body and provided with a preferably flat bottom 15 forming a seat for the underside of the flanged exteriorly threaded plug 17 extending inwardly through a suitable threaded opening in the wall of the body and normal to the longitudinal axis thereof for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Within the chamber 3 is located the core 20 which comprises a body portion 21 taper-' ing upwardly and inwardly to form a cylindrical neck 22 which projects within the passage 5. The exterior diameter of the neck is somewhat less than the diameter of the passage 5, so that a small clearance or space 24 is left between the neck and the walls of the passage, while the length of distance between the latter and the end of the neck being preferably substantially equal to or slightly greater than the width of the clearance 24 betweenthe neck and the wall of the passage. Extending centrally upwardly within the core, and preferably coaxial therewith and with the body 1, is the fine, preferably cylindrical, tube or passage.

26, the lower end terminating in a chamber 27 within the body of the core and the upper end flaring outwardly preferably at the same angle as the wall of the mouth of the passage 5 so that as clearly shown in Fig. 1, the mouth of the passage 26 and the mouth 8 of the passage 5 will together form a sli htly frustated inverted cone extending rom the end of the passage 26 to the .upper end of the body 1, the continuity of the wall from the end of passage 26 to the end of body 1 being interrupted only by the small annular opening or space between the upper end of the neck and the point 6 at which the wall of passage 5 begins to flare outwardly.

The body of the core may be of any desired form and the core may be supported within the body 1 in any desired manner, but in practice I prefer to first form the body of the core in the shape of a cylinder havlng a radius of curvature exactly equal to that of the chamber 3 and coaxial with the neck 22. I then grind off or otherwise remove a portion of the side of the cylindrical body portion diametrically opposite to the open end of the chamber 27 which extends transversely through the core and which is internally threaded adjacent its open end, and then secure the core in position within the body by means of the threaded plug 17 hitherto referred to, which extends through the wall of the body and into the threaded part of the chamber 27 and serves to draw that portion of the core which has not been ground away and which, therefore, has a radius of curvature similar to that of the chamber 3, firmly against the wall of the chamber, whereby the core will be correctly positioned-within the body so that the neck 22 will extend coaxially there of as well as of the passage 5. It will be evident, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 that a clearance space 30 between the body of the core and the sides of the chamber. 3 substantially of crescent shape will be provided when the core is formed as hereinbefore described by grinding ofi or otherwise removing a portlon thereof, but if desired, any other means of forming the core and securing the same within the body may be employed which will serve to maintain the which may comprise a substantially tubular body having inwardly projecting annular flanges 41, 42, the internal diameter of the former being such that it will form a close fit on the exterior of the flange 10 and will.

be slidable thereon, while the upper flange 42 which is provided with a plurality ofvertically extending apertures 44 passing completely through the flange, for a purpose hereinafter described, is arranged to seat upon the shoulder 11, its inner face contacting with the exterior of the body adjacent thereto. The lower end of the shell is provided with suitable. internal threads for engagement with external threads upon the gland 4 5 which surrounds and is slidable upon the lower portion of the body 1 and which may be screwed upwardly into the shell in the usual manner. The gland, when in position, serves to maintain the under face of the flange 42 securely positioned upon the shoulder 11 and to compress a packing ring 46 of suitable material preferably interposed between the upper end of the gland and the lower face of flange 10 and flange 41 in the usual manner to secure a tight joint at this point.

The shell may be provided with an outwardly projecting boss 47 having a suitable aperture 48 extending therethrough. and provided with threads for the attachment of an air pipe (not shown) whereby the compressed air or other gas is supplied to the nozzle and introduced to the annular space 50 formed between the exterior of the flange 10 and the interior of the shell 40, and in practice, the shell is preferably assembled upon the body with the aperture 48 substantially in alinement with the plug 17. The exterior of the upper end of the shell is provided with threads suitable for engagement with similar threads upon the interior of the .cap 55, which is positioned upon the upper end of the shell and so formed as to-provide a hollow chamber 56 between the cap and shell order to form a tight joint screwed into position.

The cap which may preferably be substantially in the form of an inverted cup, is provided with a central circular aperture 60, the end wall of the cap being preferably thinned or tapered toward the center, so

at this point in when the cap is that the thickness of the walladjacent the narrow clearance space 62 is formed between the upper end of the body and the lower rim v of the opening 60. The vertical length of this clearance 62 may be varied between considerable limits depending largely upon the nature and viscosity of the material to be atomized without affecting the successful operation of the nozzle, but in practice it is found that with a given material the best results, so far as economy of operation is concerned, are attained when the clearance is made as small as possible commensurate with a proper atomizing of the liquid, as a considerable saving in the amount of compressed air or other gas used is thereby effected.

In the operation of the device which in practice is mounted upon the end of the fluid pipe (not shown) by means of the threads 2 and connected by a pipe extending from boss 47 to a suitable supply of compressed air or other gas, the liquid to be atomized is introduced from the fiuid pipe under a suitable pressure to the chamber 3 and from thence is forced upwardly through passage 5 and through the annular opening between it and the upper end of the neck 22, suflicient pressure being utilized to effect this result, a heavier or more viscous liquid naturally requiring an increased pressure. Meanwhile, the relatively highly compressed air or other gas is introduced to the chamber 50 from the pressure pipe connected to boss 47 and from thence through apertures 44 to the chamber 56, as well as through passage 32 ,to chamber 27 and from thence through tube 26 to the upper end thereof. As the air passes out of tube 26, it instantly expands and assumes a substantially cone-shaped form due to the configuration of the mouth of the tube and in this condition meets the ring of liquid which is simultaneously being ejected from passage 5 and which, by the action of the expanding air, is immediately forced outwardly against the walls of the flaring mouth of the passage 5' and ascends upor rim of the ap sides of which diverge but slightly from Wardly'due to its own momentum, as well as the momentum of the upwardly traveling expanding air from the tube 26, until the mixture of gas and liquid reaches the upper end of the body. As the mixture passes above this point, it meets with the blast of air or other gasdischarged from the chamber 56, between the underside of the cap and the upper end of the body which impinges against the ascending cone-shaped mass of the mixture of air and liquid and escapes therewiththrough the aperture 60 in the form of a relatively narrow cone, the

the vertical. As near as can be observed, the actual breaking up or comminution of the liquid takes place a short distance above the exterior of the cap from which point the material is discharged outwardly in atomized condition, the same probably being due to the great velocity of the discharged air which carries the liquid upward for a short distance in a more or less solid form before the actual comminution takes place.

In practice, it is found that the device will operate successfully when the pressures both of the liquid to be atomized and of the air or other gas employed are varied between considerable limits, successful results having been obtained with air pressures varying from 2% to 8 atmospheres and liquid pressures of from 15 to 100 lbs. to the square inch. I consider, however, that the use of the higher pressures is more desirable especially when liquids of relatively great viscosity. or thickness are to be atomized and I, therefore, recommend that the higher pressures be employed, although I do not desire to limit myself thereto, as successful results may be obtained with lower pressures under certain conditions. Furthermore, I dov not a desire to limit my invention to a nozzle comprising the exact details of construction and arrangement which I have herein illustrated and described, as it will be evident that various changes and alterations may be made in the details and form of the various parts of the device without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to protect by Letters Pat ent:

In an atomizing nozzle, the combination with a body having an internal chamber and a cylindrical passage leading therefrom, of a core within said chamber and projecting upwardly within said passage and having a gas passage extending longitudinally thereof,'the mouths of said gas passage and of said cylindrical passage being correspondingly flared outwardly, a shell surrounding said body and providing an annularchamoperative to conduct compressed gas from said chamber to the interior of said cap,

said cap comprising a central opening hav mg its wer rim spaced from the upper end of said body, the diameter of said opening at said rim being equal to the diameter of the mouth of said passage adjacent thereto. 10 In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 14th day of December, 1914.

LLOYD B. EDGERTON, Witnesses:

GEORGE K. HELBERT,

ALEXANDER PARK. 

